


Beach Vacation

by firecracker189



Series: Baby Mine [6]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Gen, Non-Sexual Age Play, big brother!Rhett, little!jessie, little!link, mommy!christy, toddler!Link
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 21:33:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18949075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firecracker189/pseuds/firecracker189
Summary: Christy and Rhett take the Littles on vacation! Link finds lotsa cool things at the beach, but Bubba won't let him put them in his mouth. Jessie builds the most EPIC sandcastle and everybody has the best time.





	Beach Vacation

**Author's Note:**

> My recent vacation spawned this, I hope you like it!

“Bubba, dis?” 

Link held up the seashell right in front of Rhett’s nose, making him go cross eyed a little. 

“Easy, bo,” he murmured softly with a smile, lowering Link’s hands to a better position so he could admire the little one’s latest discovery. “Wow, Link! That’s a pretty shell! You wanna put it in the bucket?” 

Link’s plastic bucket was already filled nearly halfway with shells and various interesting things he’d found but couldn’t quite bring himself to put back. He nodded happily under the ridiculous sun hat Christy insisted on making him wear. 

“Okay! Let’s put that one in the bucket and we can sort through them later.” Rhett checked his watch. “Let’s look for shells for five more minutes and then it’s time for us to go back inside for lunch.” 

Link dropped the half broken shell into the bucket and scurried back down to the water’s edge to see if the tides had brought anything else interesting in.

The beach really was a world of discovery, Rhett thought to himself as he watched Link squat down and run his hands through the wet sand. This type of learning environment was a wealth of helpful knowledge for someone whose classification fell as young as Link’s did. A toddler was never going to get bored or sulky, or insist their caregivers give them space and leave them alone to flirt with whoever they wanted. Rhett was definitely glad that neither Little he lived with was quite that old in their headspace. It wouldn’t be nearly as good of an experience for him and Christy if they were. He strolled lightly down towards water’s edge, enjoying the warmth of the sand under his bare feet.

“Find anything else?” he asked brightly, squatting down to be at Link’s level. 

Link pouted. 

“No, Bubba. Link not finds  _ anything _ ,” he said glumly, splashing his hands a bit in the foamy water. “Maybe Link not finds anything again!” 

Rhett laughed and kissed the side of Link’s head. His lips felt slightly salty and tasted like sunscreen after that. “Aw, cheer up, Bumblebee! I bet we find lots of things later! Now come on. It’s time for lunch and you need more sunscreen.” He pushed to his feet and Link followed suit with a disappointed look on his face. 

“Bubba, Link no wan’s more screen, fank you.” Perhaps politeness could get him out of Chrissy slathering all that icky white stuff that smelled so bad on every single piece of skin that stuck out from his ears to his toes. 

Rhett took his hand and started moving slowly back towards their rented cottage. “You’ll have to take that up with Christy, bud.” he said lightly, leaving the pail on the wooden steps as they made their way up onto the back porch.  _ One _ time Link gets sunburned on Rhett’s watch, and now Christy was the sunscreen police, much to Rhett’s chagrin. His boy looked absolutely  _ ridiculous _ in that dopey looking hat and sun shirt-- a freaking  _ sun shirt _ ! Maybe Rhett would see if he could haggle with her after lunch enough to at least put sunscreen on Link’s back and chest instead of dressing him up like that. 

He reached up and removed the hat from Link’s head, smiling as he booped Link’s nose. “Alright, buddy. Time for lunch! What do you think Christy made us?” 

Link picked absently at the itchy shirt and shrugged softly. “Sa’dwich?” 

“Maybe you’re right, buddy. Let’s go and see.” 

* * *

After lunch Christy and Jessie went out beach-combing, leaving Rhett behind to coax a very fussy boy to try and lay down for his nap.

“C’mon, Bumblebee. Just an hour, and then we’ll go see if we can see anything else, I promise.” 

Link was  _ not  _ happy at having to replace his swimming clothes with his relaxing clothes. “Bubba, Link naps twice tomorrow?” He bargained, puppy eyes on in full force as he looked up beneath dark lashes. 

God damn it, but he was a top notch manipulator. Rhett licked his lips and shook his head, ignoring impulse to just give in. Routine was important, even if they were at the beach and not at home. “Nope, sorry. Link has to take his afternoon nap. What if we curl up together on the sofa?” More bargaining, this time from Rhett. He just wanted Link to get his necessary downtime, even if it meant that Rhett had to take some downtime too. After all, they’d suspended all their work for this two week vacation, and Rhett wanted to take every minute of week one that he could get. Week two they’d head home and spend some time as a family, just the four of them at home together relaxing. 

Link bit his lip and squirmed on the spot. “Link goes potty first.” He kept insisting on putting it off, but hey, at least he was listening to his body even if it was to put off another bodily need like sleep.

Rhett nodded. “Potty first, but  _ then _ Link and Bubba are going to lay down for a little while. Link doesn’t have to sleep, but Link does have to lay down and shut his eyes.” 

Link stuck his thumb in his mouth, a sign of resignation as he turned and wandered off towards the bathroom. Rhett sighed softly and followed after him, turning on the light. 

“You want help?” 

Link shook his head and shimmied one handed out of the shorts and Pull-Up he was wearing. “C’n do,” he mumbled as he sat down on the training potty. 

“I know, but it’s never bad to ask for help,” Rhett reminded. It didn’t seem like Link’s needs were quite as urgent as the stalling toddler had made them out to be. He checked his watch. “Five minutes and then nap time.” 

 

Once he’d gotten Link’s hands washed and Link back into his lounge clothes, Rhett gave him a clean pacifier and they curled up on the sofa. “We’ve had quite the morning, huh, Link?” he murmured softly, rubbing a soothing hand up and down the length of Link’s back. Link nodded against his chest, binky firmly in his mouth with no intention of moving the more sleepy he became. “We found some seashells, and saw some pelicans...maybe after nap time we can try building a sandcastle with Jessie. How’s that sound?” 

Link nodded again, a sluggish movement that told Rhett he was far more tired than he’d let on. “M’kay, Bumblebee. We’ll try sandcastles later. But for now it’s time for sleep.” 

 

* * *

True to form, the promise of another fun activity had Link perking up after his nap. All Rhett had to do was remind him that in a few minutes they’d join Christy and Jessie on the beach and he was far less grumpy at having been woken up. 

“Bubba, go?” Link squirmed and whined. 

“Not yet, we gotta change your clothes and do sunscreen. If you’re a good boy for me while we get ready to go I won’t make you wear that shirt.” 

Link stopped moving instantly, brightening. “Link be good!” 

Rhett had to stifle a laugh. “Thank you buddy. Now go stand over there while Bubba goes potty and then we’ll get your swim trunks back on.” 

Rhett made his work quick as possible, wanting to get back to his excited charge. 

“Okay, Link. Let’s get ready.” 

“Get ready!” Link parroted happily. 

“Can you go put your binky on that table for me? We don’t want to lose it.” Rhett rummaged for the bottle of sunscreen while Link completed his task.

“Did!” 

“That’s great, buddy, you’re such a good helper!” Rhett held out the swim trunks and Link stepped back into them. 

“No shirt?” He clarified.

“No shirt.” Rhett promised. “But you gotta stand still so I can put sunscreen everywhere that shirt was. Arms and back and chest and neck,” Rhett enunciated carefully, so Link understood he’d be wearing more sunscreen if he chose not to wear the shirt. Rhett was being a little selfish too--Link got cute little freckles if he was exposed to the sun, and he kind of wanted to see his boy with some summertime freckles. 

“Be still, be good!” Link really didn’t want that shirt. 

“Alright. Good boy.” 

Rhett lathered the cream all over Link’s face and ears, then moved on to neck. He picked up the bottle of spray to make it easier to do Link’s body, and had Link rotate in place while he sprayed to get an even coating. 

“Bubba, screen!” Link piped up as Rhett made to put the sunscreen back inside. 

“Okay, buddy. You’re right. Bubba needs screen too. We don’t want any burns, do we, Link?” Rhett gave a playful wink and Link wiggled happily. 

“No! Bubba no burns! Icky and hurts.” Link gave his sage advice and Rhett laughed to himself as he sprayed his legs down. 

“What do you want to do, Bumblebee?” 

Link prattled on and on about the castle he and Jessie would build while Rhett got himself suitably covered in sunscreen. He picked up the bucket again and plopped Link’s hat back on his head-- at the very least he wouldn’t get a burn on his neck or ears. By the time they’d reached the place Christy had put up the umbrellas and chairs, Link was practically dancing with excitement.

“Chrissy, castle!” Link squeaked happily. 

Christy looked up from her book and gave him a big smile. “You want to build a sandcastle, baby?” 

Link nodded. “Bubba an’ Jessie helps!” 

Jessie was standing in the water up to her ankles, letting the waves wash over her feet as she watched a few pelicans diving. 

“That sounds like a great idea. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, okay? You guys can go right down where Jessie is now and then I’ll have the best view of your amazing castle.” 

Rhett gave her a little look. She crooked a brow with a tiny half shrug. She was having a perfectly nice time under the shade in her coverup with a cold drink and a good novel. She wasn’t budging. He sighed softly. 

“That sounds great buddy, let’s go get Jessie and see if she brought the bag with her.” He let go of Link’s hand and Link scampered down towards the water. 

“Did you bring the stuff?” 

“Yeah, it’s in the pink bag with the flamingos on it. Sandcastle mold, water bucket, four shovels, and some of those little plastic molds that make stars and crabs and things like that.” 

Rhett grabbed the bag and headed down towards the two excited Littles at the water’s edge. 

“Alright you two, listen up!” he became mock stern and they snapped to in a fit of giggles and sloppy salutes instigated by Jessie. “We’re gonna build the best sandcastle the world has ever seen, got it? But in order to do so you’re gonna have to listen to what I say very carefully. This is a very precise and serious occasion.” The Littles in question nodded somberly behind their smiles. Rhett pointed with one of the little shovels. “We’re going to build there but we need some wet sand to get started. Jessie, you take this shovel and bucket and get some wet sand for me. Link, you come over here with me and we’ll dig a good foundation so we don’t get a crooked sandcastle.” 

* * *

An hour later, Link’s bucket of shells was empty and their little (slightly lopsided despite Rhett’s best efforts) castle was adorned with all of Link’s treasures. Jessie had made a little flag out of a napkin and a piece of stick she’d found, and Rhett had molded several little sea creatures and pressed them onto the outside of the structure. So far, so good.

“Alright, guys! Say cheese!” Christy had finally left her comfortable position to take a picture of the proud architects and their finished project. “That one’s going on Instagram!” She beamed brightly as the three popped up happily and began chattering away, admiring their handiwork. Rhett had made sure to build it above the tide line so that nothing would be swept away by high tide. No more tears than necessary, that was his motto. 

“You wanna go in the water, Link?” Rhett asked. Jessie had moved over to the tide pool with her bucket, looking for trapped animals. Link eyed the water with an uncertain expression.

“Bubba, sharks?” 

Rhett smiled softly. “Yeah buddy, it’s the ocean. That’s their home. But if you stay with me, I’ll keep you safe, I promise. Just like when we go swimming at home.” Link’s fear of sharks was pretty intense when he was in headspace. Little Link even thought they would get him in the backyard pool. Rhett stretched out a hand. “Come on, Bumblebee. Don’t worry. I’ll be right there, I’ll carry you even.” 

Link didn’t look terribly convinced, but he took Rhett’s hand anyway. “Bubba carries.” He agreed. 

Rhett led him out into the waves slowly, gathering him close once the waves reached Link’s thighs and he started to get panicky. “It’s okay,” Rhett assured, propping Link on his hip and continuing to walk out into the water. “It’s just a little water, it’s fine. It’ll cool you off.” Link whined and hid his face against Rhett’s neck. “You’ll be fine,” he murmured. “Link, buddy…” Rhett stopped when the water reached their waists, holding Link close. “It’s not scary, I promise. I’m right here, silly boy.” 

* * *

 

He didn’t stay in the water long-- Link started crying almost instantly. Instead he carted him back to Christy’s little nest and set him down on the blanket. “Okay, buddy. Let’s just sit here a while, huh?” Rhett pulled him onto his lap and rubbed his back until he’d calmed down. 

“I noticed you didn’t put on his sun shirt.” Christy’s voice was pointed. 

“Didn’t need it.” 

“He’s going to get burned.” 

“He isn’t. I put sunscreen on him. He’s fine, and now is not the time.” 

“Fine,” her book shut with a thud. “But if he gets burned he’s your responsibility, not mine.” She pushed to her feet and went to answer Jessie’s excited call about the starfish she’d found. “I’m coming, baby!” 

Rhett held Link a little more protectively. “Don’t worry, Bumblebee. I won’t let her put you back in that icky shirt anymore.” He watched Jessie show off her bucket proudly. 

Link curled closer and hummed. “No like shirt.” 

“I know. You don’t have to wear it anymore. I promise.” 

“Doggies?” 

“Yeah, buddy. Let’s go inside and clean up, have bath time and then we can watch Paw Patrol and maybe have a snack.” He stood up and herded Link back inside. 

* * *

 

Link splashed around and played with his little bath fishies and his rubber ducks while Rhett got the sunscreen washed off of him. By the time they’d finished up Link’s mood was infinitely better. Rhett wrangled him into pajamas and then pulled up an episode of Paw Patrol from the dvd he’d put in. He grabbed Link’s blanket and a spare pacifier and propped his feet on the ottoman. “Come here. Come cuddle with me for a while.” Link clambered into his lap and he held him closer. “That’s my boy, there you are, Link!” Rhett teased a little as Link curled up with his head on his chest. Link snuggled close. 

“Bubba.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Bubba.” Link patted his chest softly once, then his fingers moved to toying with Rhett’s shirt.

“What, Bumblebee?” Rhett’s tone was indulgent.

“Bubba Link’s Bubba.” 

“That’s right, Bumblebee.” Rhett kissed his damp hair. “And Link is Bubba’s Bumblebee.” 

Link hummed happily. 

“You want your binky, Link?” 

“Pease, can have?” Link asked tiredly. 

“Sure, sweet boy. Thank you so much for asking so nicely.” Rhett handed the item over. “Now let’s just relax a little.” 

* * *

 

He could hear the shouts and excited squeals as Jessie and Christy played around in the water, the waves playing a background track to the episode of Paw Patrol. Link dozed on and off and Rhett took his chance to smother Link with all the affection he could show for the moment. He rubbed Link’s back and played with his hair and pressed little kisses to Link’s cheek. Occasionally Link would rouse himself enough to respond in kind and Rhett would praise him softly.

“Gimme one of your magic kisses, sweet boy,” Rhett cooed. Link’s body was still sleep heavy, but he tilted his head upwards and pressed a couple very wet kisses to Rhett’s neck. “Oh, thank you very much, Link. You’re such a good boy, I love you so much.” Link went back to sleep near instantly after that, pacifier only halfway in his mouth. Rhett righted it. “Such a soft sleepy boy,” he laughed quietly. “We gotta get you in bed soon.” He went back to staring out the open double doors, watching the girls packing up the chairs so they didn’t blow away during the night. Beach vacations might be hectic, and there might be a lot more things for Link to try and eat that he shouldn’t, but...Rhett wouldn’t trade it. It was the perfect vacation. 

**Author's Note:**

> Find my tumblr: firecrackerwrites


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